


A Pirate's Life for Me

by Crollalanza



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Fluff and Fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 11:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12167532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crollalanza/pseuds/Crollalanza
Summary: Needing respite from his noisy housemates (especially Kuroo who adopts a different cat every day) Oikawa Tooru was pleased to have found the Laurel Reading Rooms in his second week of college. He's never bothered by the elderly inhabitants so he can sit, read, and collect his thoughts. A win-win situation, until one bright September day a pirate bursts into his space and demands treasure!Tooru wants to ignore him, but soon finds himself caught up in Bokuto Koutarou's enthusiam not just for pirates but owls.





	A Pirate's Life for Me

**Author's Note:**

> I started this on Bokuto's birthday (which is 20th September) but f course it spiralled! 19th September is also International Talk Like A Pirate Day, so obviously I had to include that ... 
> 
> Thank you to Kris who suggested pirates, and Kay who suggested Oikawa.

The Laurel Reading Rooms were a restful place. Not quite a library, but with a collection of books one could borrow, they offered a chance for anyone needing respite from their cares. The seats were comfortable, there was an urn of hot water for tea, and freshly brewed coffee percolating on a corner table. It was a place Oikawa Tooru had discovered quite by chance in his second week of college when seeking respite and a place to regain focus, and one he’d revisited several times, thus bringing the average age of its occupants down to a roughly fifty-five.

This particular morning he needed quiet. His night’s sleep had not been peaceful, for no sooner had one lively student finally switched off his music, Tooru’s attempts at unconsciousness had been thwarted by mewls from a cat (or was it cats?) from his immediate neighbour’s room.   He’d dropped off around three, to be woken half an hour later by the same neighbour returning home.

Here he could read and snooze, and as no one knew him, the other visitors didn’t attempt to engage him in any conversation. A win-win situation at every level.

_Perfect Silen -_

“ARRR, ME HEARTY! GIMME AAALLL YA  DUBLOONS!”

Tooru didn’t flinch as the rasping voice assailed him. Not by a glimmer of a shifting expression or the twitch of an eyelid did he betray any knowledge that he was actually aware either physically or spiritually that he was not alone but sharing space with a bizarrely dressed man.

Instead, Tooru licked his finger and turned the page of his book.

“ARRR, T’IS A SCURVEY KNAVE WE HAVE HERE,” continued the stranger, raising his voice but losing some of the gruffness.  “ONE WHO BE ... uh ... ONE WHO BE ... um ... ONE WHO WILL BE MADE TO WALK THE PLANK UNLESS HE TELLS ALL ABOUT THE TREASURE!”

Frowning, in what he hoped was an intellectual way, Tooru pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and tried to concentrate on the words. The trouble was the flashes of yellow and black pantaloons, a tricorn hat and an eye patch that seemed to be sliding down the interrupters face was making it very hard for him to focus.

“ARRR!” repeated his companion for the third time.

Then said nothing else.

_Good, he’s gone._

He was not in the mood for any shenanigans this morning, especially after the night he’d had.

“ARRR!” the interloper began again.

_Dammit!_

Out of the corner of his eye, Tooru watched as the figure looked over his left shoulder, then his right, before spinning on his heels. Turning a perfect Three Sixty, he faced Tooru again.

“They’ve gone,” he said, a little mournfully. “I had a whole crew here ‘n everything, but ...”

And then he flumped in the chair next to Tooru, scraping the legs across the wooden floor as he huffed out his cheeks. “Where’d they all go?  Did ya see them?”

“Were they all dressed like you?” Tooru asked, trying politeness.

“Well, yeah, ‘cept I’m the only one with the hat, ‘cuz I’m Captain, and Konoha said he weren’t wearing an eye patch, ‘cuz he don’t like the elastic. Komi didn’t like the ... – whatchacallem – breeches ‘cuz they itched, ‘n Washio lost his waistcoat.” He shook his head. “I dunno how you lose a waistcoat. Oh, and none of ‘em managed to find a shirt as good as mine.” He beamed at Tooru and flicked at the frills around his neck.

“So they were wearing ... jeans and t shirts?” Tooru suggested.

“Yeah, I guess. And Saru didn’t think it was a good idea to carry cutlasses around either.”

“He could be right,” Tooru replied, dubiously eyeing the curved sword tucked into his companion’s waistband. “You could hurt yourself, you know.”

“Nah, it’s cardboard and tin foil. I was up last night makin’ it.”

“Why?”

_Oh, why have I asked? He won’t leave me now._

“’Cuz you’re right. I could hurt myself,” he replied, and leant across the arm of the chair staring without blinking at Tooru. “Like, my best friend helped ‘n all, but he couldn’t be here t’day, ‘cuz he’s got important things to do.”

_What unusual eyes. Sort of yellow. Or amber maybe, and ... And goodness, he’s intense._

Tooru blinked first. “N-no, I meant, why would you want to make one and why are you dressed like a pirate?”

_And yet again, Tooru-chan, you’ve asked a question, which will mean he sticks around. Why do you do this to yourself?_

“Oh that! ‘International Talk Like A Pirate Day’. I’m raising money for the local owl sanctuary.”

“Not parrots?”

“They don’t have a sanctuary,” he replied, missing the sarcasm.  Fidgeting on the chair, he finally pulled out the rather creased and bent out of shape cutlass to place on the table. “I’m Bokuto Koutarou, by the way.”

“How nice.”

He also appeared oblivious to bad manners. “And you are ...”

“Kuroo Tetsurou,” Tooru replied, giving Bokuto the first name that flashed into his head. (The name of his immediate neighbour, his _annoying_ neighbour, the one who _kept_ smuggling cats into their student accommodation. Not that Tooru minded the cats – except when they yowled at night when their master had disappeared- but Kuroo-chan’s propensity for collecting strays meant his room smelt of fish, which leeched out onto the landing.)

“Cool name.”

“Is it?” He affected a smile of gratitude. “Thank you so much for saying so.”

Bokuto nodded and huffed for a bit, stretching out his legs, then crossing them, shifting from one buttock to the other, before finally stretching out his legs again. “So, you gonna give me some money, Kuroo Tetsur _ooooo_?”

“I beg your pardon.”

“For the owl sanctuary! Or else I’m gonna have t’ run you through with my trusty sword ... ARRRRRRR!” Bokuto grinned and snatched up his drooping cutlass.

And he looked so silly, so ridiculous in his yellow and black breeches, his black and gold velvet waistcoat and tricorn hat that Tooru, despite himself, burst into laughter. “Is there really an owl sanctuary?”

“Yeah, ‘course there is!” Bokuto protested. “I wouldn’t try to con people. They do very good work. Like, some of these owls are babies who’ve fallen from their nests, or tried to fly and fell. So they feed ‘em up, and then release them back into the wild.” He sniffed. “Thing is, most people don’t know but if you come across a very young owl, you should prob’ly leave ‘em where they are, unless they’re a Barn Owl, ‘cuz its mom and pop’ll be back t’ find it, but the thing is they look cute and so people pick ‘em up - ”

“Why not Barn Owls?” Tooru interrupted.

“Huh? Oh ... right. Yeah, you should help Barn Owl chicks, ‘cuz if they fall out the nest their parents kinda leave them and concentrate on the others.”

“That’s ... sad?” Tooru offered. Then thought about it and found a lump had formed in his throat because actually, it _was_ sad.

Bokuto sighed again, this time taking off his hat to reveal astonishing grey hair that despite being corralled into the hat hadn’t at all flattened and had sprung up like a crown or crest on his head.

“It _is_ sad,” he said, seemingly unaware of Tooru’s scrutiny. “But it’s nature. C’mon, Kuroo-san.”

“Who? Oh ...” Tooru sat up straight. “Me, yes. Um, okay, where are we going?”

“Well, I’ve lost me _mateys_ ,” Bokuto said, adding an ‘arrrr’ for good measure. “So if a landlubber like you can’t give me some treasure, then wouldya help me instead?”

“Um.”

“I got an eye patch,” he said eagerly and plunged his hand into his pocket. “I got loads, ‘cuz, like I said Konoha didn’t like his and then the others took theirs off, so ...” He held them out to Tooru. “Please?”

And how could he refuse the forlorn face in front of him?  Especially the golden eyes, which seemed so subdued now, and hair that had begun to flatten as if dejected.

“I suppose I -” Tooru began.

“GREAT!  SHIVER ME TIMBERS, ME HEARTIES, I GOT MESELF A FIRST MATE!”

“Do you have to talk like that?”

“AYE!” Bokuto winked with his un-eyepatched eye, then waggled both his grey eyebrows at  Tooru before giving him a nudge. “AND SO DO YOU, NOW YE BE A PIRATE AND ME MATEY!”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far...”

But apparently, he _was_ now a pirate, Bokuto handing him not just an eye patch, but a neckerchief as well.

“This is ridiculous!” Tooru tried to protest.

But Bokuto beamed wider. “’Course it is! But that’s the point. People give money when they feel warm ‘n happy, and what could make someone happier than a pirate?”

“Well, I could think of a few things,” Tooru began, but Bokuto wasn’t listening.

“Like, dressing up when you was a kid was so cool, and we were allowed to be pirates ‘n stuff, and go on lotsa adventures. But then you grow up and you have t’be all responsible and then ...” He tilted his head to the side. “People stop smiling. You ever noticed that, Kuroo. They stop usin’ their imaginations and say ‘let’s pretend’ is for kids.”

It was a heartfelt speech, even if it wasn’t articulate, and Tooru found himself smiling back at the amber-eyed pirate in front of him. Perhaps he was right. Maybe being a kid for a day would help  brighten his life.

“Lead on, Captain Owl!” Tooru declared. “Let’s raise some money for your orphan chicks.”

 

The sun was high in the sky, albeit nestled in the clouds when they emerged from the Laurels and into the main street. With Bokuto tearing up the pavement, rasping out his ‘ARRRR’s to every passerby, Tooru had no option but to follow. But for all Bokuto’s enthusiasm, and he certainly was making people smile, after twenty-five minutes, they had precious little to show for their pirating.

“Bokuto-chan,” Tooru called out at last, and pulled on his arm. “This isn’t very efficient!”

“ARRRRR?”

“How much money have you collected?” He smiled at a few people now slowing their pace. “We’re raising money for the Owl Sanctuary, so if you’d –”

“Speak Piratese, ya scurvy knave!” Bokuto growled, and drew out his cutlass, waving it at a small crowd now gathering. “What say I hoist him on me crow’s nest, mateys?”

“Yay!” screamed two small girls, giggling up at the pair of them.

“Make him walk the plank,” someone in the crowd cried. “I’d pay to see that.”

Tooru scanned the crowd but couldn’t see whoever it was. “There’s no water,” he replied breezily, widening his smile to its _most_ charming. “But the Captain has a fine hat, and he can collect money.”

“There’s a fountain over there,” called the rabble-rouser. “If you send the hat round, and it gets filled, then will you douse your first mate?”

“YES!  I mean AYYYYYEEEE!” Bokuto yelled. He grabbed Tooru’s arm, holding him in front of him, muttering out of the side off his mouth. “Please, please agree.”

“But I’ll get wet!” Tooru protested, squirming in Bokuto’s grasp.

“It’s for the owls, Kuroo-san,” Bokuto whispered. “The little orphan barn owls. They’re so cute and fluffy and need our help.”

Turning, Tooru attempted to wrench away and he would have been able to do it, but once again, he was caught staring into Bokuto’s utterly guileless yellow eyes, and honest open expression.

“Okay,” he gasped, then raised his voice. “I’ll do it, but Captain Bokuto’s hat must be full of money. So be generous, landlubbers, or ... uh ... I be takin’ me booty elsewhere!”

“And that’s a hella nice booty.”

_Who is that?_ Shock/horror it was the loudmouth at the back, who was conveniently staying hidden. Tooru’s eyes narrowed as he perused the crowd, who to give them their dues were now digging deep into their pockets and filling up Bokuto’s hat.

And he guessed that now Bokuto had released him, he could run. Who was Bokuto to him after all, and what did he care about an Owl sanctuary? He could scoot down the street as easy as pie, slide back into the Laurel Reading Rooms, and have a rest with a book.

A rest?

In the Laurels.

Or  ... Resting on his Laurels.

Ha! The pun made him laugh. _Maybe that’s what I’ve been doing, though._

 

“Smilin’ a’fore he faces his doom!” Bokuto hollered as he returned with his upside down tricorn, now stuffed full of yen. “C’mon, First Mate, it’s time for ya ducking!”

Expecting Bokuto to frogmarch him over to the fountain, Tooru added some shrill yelps for verisimilitude and didn’t wrench away. Bokuto, though, had other ideas, and with another loud ‘AAARRRRR!’ he slung his arm around Tooru’s waist and hoisted him over his shoulder.

“No, No!” Tooru shrieked, and began to pound Bokuto’s back. “Won’t somebody save me?”

Bokuto halted. “You okay?”

“Yes,” Tooru hissed. “I’m acting!”

Bokuto gripped him tighter, and strode to the fountain. “DO YE HAVE ANY LAST REQUESTS BEFORE YER DRENCHIN’?”

“HOOT HOOT!” Tooru chanted. “Think of the owls – HOOT HOOT!”

They’d reached the fountain lip. The spray of water rained down on the both of them, and Tooru readied himself for his ducking. Bokuto turned back to the crowd. “Hey, you there, hold my hat, will ya? I gotta duck me first mate, Kuroo!”

“Sure.”

And as Bokuto swung back, leaving Tooru facing the crowd, a smirking face and black thatch of hair loomed into view.

“Ku-!” Tooru started to shout.

But then a sharp chill washed through him as his body was plunged into the crystal clear water.

Not only his body, but Bokuto’s too.

“AGHHH!” they yelled as the cold clutched at them.

“You jumped with me,” Tooru gasped.

“Thought it only right that the Captain stuck with his crew,” Bokuto said and grinned. He ducked under the water , emerging with flattened grey hair, but nothing could wash away his irrepressible smile. “Besides, Kuroo told me he’d double the money if I jumped too.”

“Kuroo? Then it wasn’t a hallucination?”

“A halluci-what-now?”

Applause rained around them, led by none other than the saviour of cats and Tooru’s annoying neighbour, Kuroo Tetsurou.

“I has yer treasure!” he cried. “”Now hows about ye both gets into some dry clothes and then we can head down to yonder Owl Sanctuary and show ‘em yer plunder?”

“You were in on this, Kuroo?” Tooru demanded, still sitting, dripping in the fountain, then swiftly turned to a similarly wet Bokuto. “And you know him?”

“Uh, yeah, sure. I don’t know you, though, just knew you weren’t Kuroo.” Bokuto got to his feet and began to shake like a dog, the water spraying off his hair, droplets sparkling in the autumn sunshine. “He helped me make this last night!”  he said, withdrawing his cutlass.

His very soggy cutlass, with tinfoil now unsticking. “Oh.”

“You tricked me?” Tooru continued.

“Nah, think you did that first,” Bokuto replied. “Or tried t’. I played along ‘cuz I figured we all like to pretend at times. You wanna be Kuroo, and I get that, ‘cuz he’s a cool guy, even if he does wanna save cats.”

“You think I’m cool, Bo? I’m flattered.” Kuroo leant over, stretching out his hand to Tooru. “And you pretended to be me.”

“Only because your name was the one in my head after your pesky cats kept me awake again!”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” He gripped Tooru’s hand, pulling him to upright. “They pine if I’m away. But it’s all good now. I found homes for all but one of ‘em,” he replied, then unzipped his jacket, so Tooru could see the kitten nestled to his chest. “I was thinking maybe I’ll keep this one. If the House agreed then  ...”

Tooru scowled, refusing to get drawn in. “Right, well, now you’ve raised your money, Bokuto, and Kuroo’s had a good laugh at me, I’m going to get home and changed.” He looked down at his sodden shoes. “That is if they let me on the bus.”

“Bo’s place is nearer,” Kuroo replied. “Lead the way, Captain.”

Bokuto after a last bow to the crowd, and making sure they all applauded his First Mate for being ‘a great guy’, dropped his soggy cutlass in a waste bin and gestured to Tooru to follow. They squelched down the backstreets, turning two corners, until arriving in front of large house, with a sign over the doorway:

‘Fukurodani Owl Sanctuary.’

“You own the sanctuary?”

“Nah, I help out with my buddies” Bokuto replied, opening the door. “KONOHAAAAA! I’m baaack. SARRUUUU where are ya? I collected a mint o’ money.”

“They’re outside,” said a girl walking out of what appeared to be the kitchen. She had a plate of food in her hand, and a clipboard in the other, and waved a greeting to Kuroo – clearly old friends.

“Hi,” she said, half bowing to Tooru. “I’m Shirofuku Yukie. I manage this place. Thank you for ... uh ...” Her eyes scanned him. “Um, whatever it was you did today. I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Oikawa Tooru,” he replied, and bowed more formally, even though his hair left drips on the floor. “Sorry!”

“Dry clothes and food,” Bokuto said, and grabbed Tooru’s hand. “C’mon, my room.”

As he pounded up the stairs, dragging Tooru in his wake, he heard Shirofuku’s clear crisp tones rebuking Kuroo, “This is an owl sanctuary. We can’t have one of your strays here, Kuroo-san. Take it away!”

“How ‘bout I keep hold of her until I leave.”

“She can stay in the house, but if I find out she’s escaped and is worrying the chicks, I’ll ban you from ever coming back!”

“Kuroo-san loves his cats,” Bokuto sighed. “It’s a real shame he can’t have one in his house.”

“We’re not really allowed pets. The landlady doesn’t like them.”

“I know, but ... it’s such a little thing.”

“They do grow, Bokuto-san. Just like owls, but you can’t release them into the wild once they’re strong enough. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“Guess not, but if enough of you said you wanted one. Or, like, if you said there was a mouse problem, then ...”

_Sneaky,_ Tooru thought, and hid a grin.

They’d reached his room, which he unlocked then flung the door open. “Right, there are clean and dry clothes over there,” he said, pointing to a heap on a chair. “And there are towels in the bathroom if you’d like to wash up first. And then if you give me your wet clothes, Kuro .... uh ... Oikawa ... I’ll put ‘em in the dryer.”

So Tooru grabbed a towel, stripped off his clothes (leaving them in a far more orderly pile in the bathroom, then selected some dry garments.  Ten minutes later, clad in a Fukurodani Owl Sanctuary Tee (which hung off him a bit as Bokuto was _so_ broad), a pair of black jeans which he jacked in at the waist (right length though) and a black hoodie, Tooru lounged on the bed waiting for Bokuto to shower.

He was singing in the bathroom. His voice was strong, if a little off-key, confident and unaware of any impression he might make. Singing for the hell of it.

Which kind of sums up Bokuto Koutarou all round, Tooru thought, and wondered at the warm feeling settling in his stomach.

“HO HO HO!” Bokuto called out, poking his head round the bathroom door. “I’m nearly shipshape, matey, and then I’ll show you the owls.” He winked. “ARRRRR!”

“That’s fine.” Tooru settled back, pulling out the phone from his bag, curious about something, which hadn’t occurred to him before.

‘International Pirate Day’ he typed, and waited for the results.

What ya doin’?” Bokuto asked, leaping up to him.

“Oh ... um ... nothing,” he replied.

“You look kinda secretive.” He scrunched up his nose. “Bit like ya did when ya gave me the fake name.”

“It’s really nothing,” Tooru repeated, but held out his phone anyway, keeping his thumb across the centre of the screen.  “I was looking up Pirate day, that’s all.”

“And you discovered I fibbed about that, did ya?”

“Um... well, it was yesterday, not today, but I’m not sure that matters. I thought you probably made a mistake,” Tooru said kindly.

“No mistake. I like Pirates and well ... today’s my birthday, so –” He shrugged. “Kinda worked as I made a hatload of cash.”

“Your birthday?”

“Yeah.” He yawned, blocking half-heartedly with his hand, then started to rub at his hair with a smaller towel, sending each tress upwards and outwards.  “It’s no big deal.”

“That’s –”

“Dumb huh? You think I should be out drinkin’ or somethin’ right?”

“Adorable,” Tooru countered. He smiled. “We should be able to do whatever we want on our birthdays and if you want to be a pirate, then no one should stop you!”

And Bokuto blushed, at least he appeared to but then swiftly turned away, sidestepping across to the clothes and avoiding any eye contact at all with Tooru.

“You ... uh ... don’t think I’m stupid then, or annoying?” he mumbled. “’Cuz I know I can be, and I’m sorry I kinda dragged you into all o’ this.”

“BOKUTO!” yelled someone from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you coming outside or not?”

“Who’s that?” Tooru whispered.

“Uh, Konoha.”

“The one who didn’t like the eye patch.”

“Yeah, that’s right. We should go before they eat all the biscuits.”

They wandered downstairs, Bokuto’s shoulders sagging and his eyes trained firmly on the floor, and it seemed to Tooru that his hair had flattened out to, and his eyes when he caught a glimpse of them weren’t as sparkling anymore.

His friends had left him, Tooru remembered, and inside he began to fume. _It’s his birthday and they ran off!_

He reached out, plucked at Bokuto’s sleeve and then grabbed his hand. “I don’t think you’re dumb at all, Bokkun,” he whispered, and entwined their fingers together. “In fact, today has been the most fun I’ve had since starting college. So thank you, for that.”

Bokuto squeezed back, offering a smile, and his eyes glimmered again.  But before he could reply, Kuroo appeared and led them into a back room. With a firm hand on his kitten, Kuroo opened up the French Windows.

“Ta-Da!” he fanfared.

“Oh my ... OH MY!” Bokuto’s face broke into the widest grin ever, because there in the garden was a large table, swathed in a green tablecloth, and piled high with plates, not only of biscuits but sushi, wraps, dips and candy. In the centre was a cake in the shape of a ship, with a skull and crossbones flag, and a crows’ nest made of chocolate lattice. And surrounding the table, all wearing tees bedecked with Bokuto’s face and the words ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAPTAIN!’ were the guys he shared with. The guys Tooru presumed had deserted him. And it became clear following introductions, that that too had been a subterfuge to get Bokuto out the house.

Konoha wore his eye patch, Komi a pair of breeches, Washio had the finest imaginable waistcoat of red velvet and gold brocade, and Sarukui brandished a cutlass as he attempted to cut the cake.

“YOU GUYS!”

“Sorry we had to desert you, Captain, but we wanted to make sure everything was ready here,” Konoha said. “Kuroo was s’posed to keep an eye on you.”

“He found another First Mate,” Kuroo grumbled. “And I told you I was out hunting for cat homes today.”

“Have some cake, Oikawa-san,” Shirofuku murmured and handed him a plate. She smiled up at him, then stepped a little to the side. “Thank you for looking after him. Bokuto’s our figurehead, and very special to us all.”

He watched as Bokuto chomped into his cake, laughed at something Sarukui was telling him, and clapped Washio on the back when he choked on his soda. “I can see why,” he said.

“You must come and visit us,” she replied. “As often as you want. It’s not always this noisy and fun, mind you. But at night ....” She inhaled and smiled dreamily. “At night when we release the owls from their cages for their first flights, it’s ... beautiful.”

“Don’t you fret in case they don’t come back?”

She considered, looking a little like Bokuto as she tilted her head to the side. “They’re not supposed to return. We know we’ve brought them back to fitness if they don’t come back to their cages. Although ...” She stopped and pointed up to a tree at the bottom of the garden. “There’s one who took up residency over there, and it’s his territory now.” Taking a sip of her drink, her gaze switched back to Bokuto. “Koutarou found him as an orphan two years ago, brought him here, and has continued to help ever since. Even roped in his friends. We couldn’t run this place without him, you know.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Bokuto bounded across to them. “You having fun, Oikawa-san?”

“Yes, very much so,” he replied. “Shirofuku-san was telling me all about the owls and the night flights and how beautiful it was.”

“You should come and see. He could, couldn’t he, Yukie-kun?”His eyelids flickered, lashes sweeping his cheeks. “That is if ya want to.”

Tooru reached out, linked his fingers into Bokuto’s for a second time that day, and squeezed. “I’d love to.”

“We’re releasing some at dusk,” she answered, and began to step away. “You’re very welcome to stay.”

Kuroo strolled over, the kitten now tucked back into his jacket and licking tuna off his fingers. “So ... if I can’t get you guys to take my kitty-cat, what am I going to do with her?”

“You know, Kuroo-chan,” Tooru began, “Bokuto had this brilliant idea.”

“He did?”

“I did?”

“Mmm, if our house suffers a rodent infestation, then what better than this fearsome predator to keep them at bay?”

“But she’s nine weeks old. I don’t think she’s caught anything bigger than a fly before, and we don’t have mice.”

“We make it look as if we have mice. Both of us can shriek a lot and complain of missing food, then hey presto, Kitty-chan appears having caught the wretched thing.”

 

After more food, drinks and a bit of a singsong (Sarukui turned out to have a guitar) the sun finally sank low and the sky wreathed itself in oranges and pinks, golden rays muting to the very same amber of Bokuto’s eyes. Tooru was finishing his second slice of cake, watching Bokuto who was nibbling on a sugar paste pirate, when Shirofuku approached with an armful of blankets.

“I’m going to open the cages now. The others will help, so why don’t you have the night off Koutarou and watch?”

“Sure.” Bokuto smiled, then got to his feet to take the blankets from her. “Kuroo, you coming?”

“Nah, I’m gonna make a move. See ya later, Oikawa,” he replied, and scooped the kitten into his jacket. “I’ll bite into a pack of biscuits and make it look like we have mice. Can you make sure you scream when you get back?”

“I’ll be especially shrill.”

Kuroo left, and the others appeared to have wandered off to their respective jobs now. Bokuto led the way, stopping by the end of the table and picking up two small tea lights.

“There’s a clearing through here,” Bokuto began. “And a bench at the side we can sit on, but the best place to watch is in the middle on the ground. That okay?”

Tooru nodded and followed in silence, looking around and down as Bokuto peeled away some of the twigs in their path, not letting them swing back into Tooru’s face. Up ahead, Tooru saw gleams from low-watt torches, and the sliver of a moon began to shine its pale beams on them as it climbed the sky.

When Bokuto stopped, he held out one blanket to Tooru, then shook the other one out to lay on the ground. “You c’n wear that one,” he told Tooru, “And we’ll sit on this one.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m good. I don’t feel the cold,” he replied, then sat on the blanket, propping himself up on his elbows.

That figured. Bokuto Koutarou radiated warmth, and Tooru wasn’t sure he’d need his blanket either if he sat close.

“Where’s the tree your owl nests in?”

“Yukie told you about that, did she?” He paused and gestured to the right. “Yamiji lives in that one. You might see him tonight. He likes coming out when it’s real dark, though. He’s got these amazing eyes that c’n see even if it’s pitch black. And he swoops silently to catch mice or voles ‘n stuff.  ‘N he’s got this real cute way of flappin’ his wings before he tucks them up and scratches the ground if he’s lookin’ for worms, and –”

“What?”

“I’m not boring you, am I? You look like you’re yawning. Only I know I go on a bit ‘bout owls and ‘specially Yamiji.”

“I’m interested,” Tooru replied, then closed his mouth to stifle a yawn. “I had a bad night’s sleep, that’s all, but I’m not bored, I promise.”

“Oh, yeah, Kuroo’s cats. Were they really noisy?”

“Ah, they were okay. I couldn’t relax.” He stretched out on the rug, letting the spare blanket splay like a cape around his shoulders. “It’s very peaceful here.”

“You don’t think I’m outta place, then?”

“Why would I think that?” Tooru asked, surprised.

“’Cuz I’m loud. And most people don’t think I c’n keep still or not be makin’ a ruckus all the time.”

“It’s focus, isn’t it?” Tooru said. “I need to shut myself away at times, to collect thoughts so I can move on.”

“Was that why you were in that reading place?”

Tooru nodded.“Being somewhere no one knows you and won’t interrupt is refreshing when you share a house with four other students.”

“And then I came in and dragged you outta there. “Sorry.”

“Bokkun,” Tooru murmured. “I could easily have said no.”

“Or you was bein’ polite.”

Chuckling, Tooru turned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow. “I am not in the least polite. If I don’t want to do something I refuse. I’m known for being petty and argumentative – as I’m sure Kuroo’s told you -  and when you burst into the Laurels, I was determined to ignore you or to say no to whatever you wanted.”

“But ya didn’t?” Bokuto flipped onto his side, staring into Tooru’s eyes. “Why?”

“Because ... because you were preposterous - ” Bokuto flinched, “- but so passionate about your owls and I think it’s only fair to try to understand another’s enthusiasms before dismissing them out of hand.”

“And you’re not dismissing them?”

“I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“Ah, cool.”

Bokuto smiled as a faint screech sounded around them. “They musta opened the cages. Watch.”

He did as he was bid, staring up at the stars. And in the gap in the canopy of trees, small owls flittered, stretching their wings across navy sky, blotting the moonbeams as they screeched and snatched at bugs in the night air.

“Are you sad they’re going?” Tooru asked gently.

“A bit.” He sniffed. “But that’s our job. Mend their wings so they c’n fly wherever they want.”

“That’s the last of them,” Konoha called out, his voice low but carrying. “Koutarou-kun, we’re heading back to the house.”

“’K, guys. Thanks again.”

Various soft goodbyes and no problems reached their ears, and the torchlights dimmed to nothing.

Bokuto said nothing about leaving, and neither did he suggest he wanted to be alone, so Tooru lay back and watched as the last of the orphans tested their wings and flapped through the trees. Nature at its most hopeful, aided a little by the kindness of a motley crew led by a pirate.

And they’d allowed Tooru to be a part of this.

“Listen,” Bokuto whispered and levered himself to sit on the blanket.

“What to?”

“Sssh.”

_Twit-Twoo_

“Bokuto?”

“Ssshhh.”

_Twit-Twoo_

“It’s Yamiji,” Bokuto whispered, and pointed. “He’s come to see them off.”

It was hard to see in the moonlight, but Bokuto’s owl, perched on a tree branch, gave a much louder screech and then flexed his wings.  Taking off, he swirled in the air, riding the faint night breeze before swooping towards them, finally landing in front of them.

The owl tilted its head to one side, and the mirror of Bokuto was striking, but Tooru felt no compulsion to laugh, only to keep as still as he could and watch.

Holding out his arm, Bokuto clucked his tongue. “Hey, fella, want to meet another friend?”

Yamiji hopped across the grass to perch on Bokuto’s arm and glared across at Tooru.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Bokuto breathed. His eyes were wide, his beaming smile split his face, and his hair appeared more upwardly mobile that before –  like an owl’s crest.  “Come here, Oikawa-san. You c’n touch him if you want.”

“Hum, not sure,” Tooru muttered, catching the side-eye from Yamiji. “He looks as if he wants to snap my fingers off.”

“Nah, he’s gentle enough, ain’t you, Yamiji-chan.”

The owl rubbed his head against Bokuto’s cheek as if to agree, but as Oikawa edged closer, he blinked, flapped his wings and let out a huge screech.

“Haaa. I’ll stay here,” Tooru cried, but he kept smiling.

After another slow blink, Yamiji gave Bokuto’s fingers a brief peck and then he launched himself back into the air, circling overhead once before soaring up to the sky. They both watched as the bird silhouetted against the moon climbed higher before finally disappearing into the night.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” Bokuto said, his mouth turned down.

“Can’t expect trust straight away,” Tooru said.

“S’pose not.” He lay on the ground, flat on his back, but with his head turned to the side. “Thank you for today, Oikawa-san. It’s been really cool getting to know you.”

“I should thank you. If you hadn’t burst in with your cutlass, I’d have missed all of this.” He took a deep breath, letting the night air whistle out through his lips. “It’s a wonderful place.”

“You c’n come again,” Bokuto replied. “That is ... if you want to. It’s not like an obligation or nothing, but ...” He coughed. “I’d like to hang out with you ... uh .... see you again ... and maybe not just here.”

His hand was by his side, his palm open and it was the smallest of journeys to close the distance between the pair of therm. Tooru stretched out his arm, found Bokuto’s fingers for the third time that day and interlaced them with his own.

“I’d like that,” he whispered, not breaking eye contact. He squeezed Bokuto’s hand and inched closer until their shoulders touched.

“You would?” Bokuto was grinning again, and to Tooru he was like a sparkler fizzing into life.

“Bokuto Koutarou,” he pronounced. “I have a feeling that you and today have changed my life. Why would I want to say goodbye now?”

He was a hair’s breadth away, a distance that could be closed if he pouted his lips together and out to petal a kiss on Bokuto’s cheek, and it was tempting (so tempting) to follow this strange instinct bubbling inside of him, but what if that broke the spell, and he found himself back in the reading rooms ... alone with his books, thoughts and need for focus.

He shifted his gaze to the stars, less bright in comparison with Bokuto, but a safer place, which made his heart beat far less erratically.

“You like pirates, then?” Bokuto asked after a while.

Tooru smirked, feeling a giggle clutching at his throat as he remembered Bokuto’s breeches and the cutlass soggy and unusable after the fountain. “Could have some fun plundering, Bokkun!” he started to reply and twisted back to Bokuto.

He’d moved too, and as Tooru spoke his lips brushed against Bokuto’s face. Infinitesimal touches, as both held their breath.

_We could laugh this off,_ Tooru thought, _or else ..._

He closed his eyes, felt Bokuto’s mouth on his - lips a little rough but warm – and gave himself up to the kiss.

As Bokuto twined his fingers into Tooru’s hair, Yamiji screeched above them, then reverted to the faint hoots of earlier.

_Implicit permission, I hope,_ Tooru thought and smiled to himself as he continued to kiss this most _extraordinary_ boy.

**Author's Note:**

> This was daft. I know that. But sometimes we all need a bit of daftness and fluffy owl chicks.


End file.
